Thanks to everyone for participating and spreading the word about the importance of getting our children outdoors! I really enjoyed meeting so many new people and visiting new blogs from all over the world!
Let me tell you, getting my girls outdoors everyday is easy over here, but posting it everyday just about killed me! However, I will do it again next April, but for now we will change the Outdoor Challenge up a bit; keep getting out everyday, but you only need to post a favorite picture of your child(ren) or activity on Mondays. Two buttons to choose from (or keep the one Kari made, since the challenge is a little different I thought a new button might be in order). I need to get the hubs to get an http code for them.
If you leave me the OK that you are in for continuing the challenge leave a comment stating so. I will make a new link love list that I will tag onto my Monday posts. I will also include a participant of the week if I can, that was one of my favorite parts to last month’s challenge. If you need ideas for the great outdoors I found this great article- 50 Ways to Get Kids Hooked on the Outdoors; I especially love the outdoor game of tic tac-toe in the dirt! (Photo below taken by Fauna)
Onward with something new- The Nature Swap
I was thinking of setting up a little nature swap as well. I could pair up everyone with a partner from a different state and we swap treasures that have been ethically collected from nature. Of course check state and country laws if in question, but you could always include photos or pictures and not the actual items. Some of our favorite gifts from bloggers have been little legal goodies found in nature or drawings of nature.
OK to trade-
- bark
- pinecones
- pressed leaves and flowers
- shells
- arthropod sheds
- reptile sheds
- pieces of fur
- rocks
- casts of animal tracks
- cleaned skulls, bones
- fossils
- cocoons or chrysalids that have already hatched
- mushroom spore prints
Not OK to trade-
**don’t want to spread invasives
Would be nice to include-
***If you want to be included in the nature swap please send an email to me at crinklebein at yahoo dot com, please include your name and address. I will leave sign-ups open through Friday of next week. Please include the words Nature Swap in the subject of the email (I get so many emails daily, I don’t want to miss yours). Be sure to tell me ages of children as well, maybe could end up being pen pals! The swap will take place the last week of June, so everyone has a full month to gather swap material.
Questions? Leave me a comment here.
“That’s all.”
About
I’ve decided to continue the challenge. It’s a great incentive to keep getting outside. Did my post for today!
Count me in for the nature challenge and the swap!
We are definitely in for the continued Outdoor Challenges! I am not sure if we will be able to do the swap, but it sounds fabulous! I am off to add the new button to my sidebar
Looking forward to continuing the challenge with you!! I was really hoping you would!! <3
LOVE the swap idea…I will be sending an email shortly. And you can count me in on the nature challenge. I am soooo glad you are extending it.
Love the nature swap idea – looking forward to playing!
I’m in for the nature challenge!
You made me go out,how can I pass this one?Count me in!
I’m definately in for the Monday get outdoor posts. i agree getting outdoors daily is far easier than blogging daily. Thanks for continuing the fun.
The challenge was a bit of a wake-up call for me. It made me realise my daughter is not getting enough ‘free time’ outdoors. So i’ve been making an effort to give her more unstructured outdoor time. Thanks for the inspiration
We are in for the nature challenge. Look out for some good pics, momma got a new camera lens for ma day! yeah!
I’m in on the outdoor challenge! It will be easier to post a picture once a week.
I think this is a terrific idea especially since if it was hard for me to post each day I could only imagine that it would have been 100 times harder for you…plus I bet you then felt obligated to look at everyone’s post.
It is easy for us to get outside every day too, sometimes it can be harder to get the girls to come inside. I think the Monday challenge sounds great, I would love to continue!
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We loved the outdoor challenge and would love to continue on Mondays with you.
We want to join…and I’ll post on The Magnifying Glass if that is OK with you.
I’ll join in the outdoor challenge when I get back in a couple of weeks – off to see my parents. But Marcus and I had an exciting day yesterday – went down to the river to watch them trapping baby eels (glass eels) as they’re migrating up into the streams. They weigh them, take data on water temperature, etc. and then turn them back in to let them go on about their growing. He loved it – got to “help” one of the college students. They’ll be doing this through the end of the month so we’ll definitely go again, and next time I’ll remember to take pictures.
I’d like to continue the challenge on Mondays!
I’ve emailed you and yes, we are very keen to swap (being outside the US we will probably restrict ourselves to a couple of animal print casts, an unusual stone and then some photos/ diagrams/ craft ideas.
We would also like to take part in the Monday Outdoor Challenge please.
That’s fantastic! We’re definitely in for the Monday nature challenge
I was actually thinking about that yesterday and we shared a weekly outing on my blog. We were hunting for frogs 
http://rosinahuber.blogspot.com/2010/05/nature-walk-along-puntledge.html
So happy you are going to keep it going. We loved doing it all last month!
we’re sending an email to you too
I loved the challenge of getting outside, which we did….. but all to often I did not make time to get back inside to post! I love the idea of posting weekly, we’ll look forward to that next year 
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A Monday outdoor challenge sounds wonderful…count us in! It was hard for me to post daily, as well, though very worth it.
I would love to do the Monday outdoor challenge.
Thanks!
We would love to join in the Monday Outdoor Challenge. The April challenge was great fun.
I loved the exchange of ideas. The children and I really enjoyed seeing the animals and plant life in other parts of the world. My list of places I would like to visit has grown exponentially. Happy to visit virtually for the moment. So, yeh, count us in.
Hi,
You have been featured on The Montessori Goldmine, please pop over and have a look, if you are not happy with the post please let me know, I will happily remove it. If you are happy, please help me spread the word, help yourself to a badge and tell all your friends. Thanks,
Jo
http://themontessorigoldmine.blogspot.com/2010/04/thursday-round-up_29.html
The swap is such a fabulous idea!! Thanks for organizing it, I just emailed you!
We had fun with the April challenge ….please include us in the Monday weekly challenge!!
happy day!
~marcia
~just sent you my email…this is a wonderful way of connecting with others and remaining active outdoors…thank for creating it! warm wishes and brightest blessings~
Hi everybody
We’re up for the Monday challenge! We get outdoors everyday and post our activities on the water and outdoors a couple of times a week on our blog if we can, new baby arriving soon though so computer time will be scarce for a while.
Angelina, maybe we could do an Aus nature swap? I’m in Sydney NSW, although I guess we’d have to check the interstate quarantine rules?
Charley and Tess
hi!
tassies really funny about things , i dont think anything of the sort can come thru here from outside….
Hi Lisa
We ended up missing participating in the April outdoor challenge as we have a new babe in our family and have been enjoying some babymoon time. We are outdoors every day as always and would love to keep up with the Monday outdoor challenge!
I’d love a weekly nature challenge!!!
morning, we’ll be happily staying outside xxxx
sounds good, i still want to be a part of the challenge and the swap sounds fun! p.s. tell fauna her photo is perfect, i love it…
We’re in for the Outdoor Challenge! It’s been a great way to meet some new people and share ideas. Thanks for keeping it alive.
We would love to join in on Mondays. We are going to be starting a Monday hiking club soon and would love to add your button. I have really enjoyed all the outdoor posts you do, thanks for all you share!
We are in for Mondays. Slowly beach weather is approaching and I think that will be popping up in our posts quite often.
Count us in for the nature swap!
posting everyday was the hardest part for me too. We will participate every Monday too.
Count us in to continue on Mondays! Thats me, the girls and our furry kids
I’m a little hesitant to say yes on the challenge because last month burned me out on the posting! But I’m also under the weather right now, so maybe that’s why. Can I let you know later?
I’m in for the Monday challenge…AND the nature swap. This will be fun. I love a good challenge. xo
We want to keep playing in the Outdoor Challenge, so count us in!
sounds great Lisa! i love that first photo! we’re in for the challenge and the swap!
lisa
I’d like to do the Monday challenge.
Your might want to check out this book by Richard Louv … Last Child in the Wood. He was a quest speaker on radio and it was so true Kids don’t play outside anymore …… how life has changed
I love your owls enjoy your day
Rina
HA!! My friend Jessica asked if “dead animals” really needed to be listed under the “not OK.” I would hope that this would be common sense, but you never know with some people.
We are in for the Monday Great Outdoor Challenge as well. I just loaded it into my calendar in hopes of remembering. Hopefully our lives settle down soon, School is ending in a couple weeks. Thank goodness.
That is so exciting. We are definitely in. What a great idea.
Of course check state and country laws if in question, but you could always include photos or pictures and not the actual items.
hi lisa, lots of places (tasmania being a very strict one) will not allow any plant material of any kind: this is to protect their local habitat via quarantine. so this is probably only a u.s. game to play. love the crocus shot**
Photos and drawings would be fine. I made sure to include state regulatory OK items. No seeds or living plants are allowed.